Mount the house so the entrance hole faces south/southeast, out of our prevailing winds. Place the house so that it gets the morning sun for warmth.

When mounting on a pole or post use a baffle for further protection from predators.

Entrance Hole Size and House Spacing

Bluebirds: 1 ½-inch to 2 ¼-inch entrance hole. We recommend putting up two houses within 20 feet of each other. One is for the Bluebirds and the other can provide housing for sparrows or swallows. The Bluebirds need 100 yards between nesting sites.

Chickadee: 1 1/8-inch to 1 ¼-inch entrance hole. Have the houses up by late March or early April. Chickadees will more likely use the house
if they are familiar with it prior to nesting time.

House Wren: 1-inch to 1 1/8-inch entrance hole. Get the house up by early April.

Wood Duck: 3 ½-inch to 4 ½-inch oval entrance hole. Please as near the water as possible in a fairly open site with the entrance hole at 6 feet above the ground or water. Be sure to use a baffle on the pole or post to protect them from raccoons. Place 3 inches or more of wood shavings to the cleaned out house by mid-March.

Bird Species

Nest Height
and Location

Nest- Box?

Eggs: Number
and Description

Incubator
and Incubation Time

Nestling

# of
Broods

American Goldfinch

4–14-ft. upright forks
of bushes or trees (July/August)

N

5 pale bluish-white

Female; 12–14 days

11–15 days

1–2

American Robin

10–20-ft. shrubs, tree forks or nesting shelves

Shelf

4 light blue

Female; 12–14 days

14–16 days

2–3

Baltimore Oriole

15–30-ft. shade trees

N

4-5 pale greyish to bluish white marked with dark colors

Female; 13–15 days

12–14 days

1

Black-capped Chickadee

4–10-ft. tree cavities, birdhouses with 11/8-in. hole

Y

6-8 white with
red-brown spots

Female; 12–13 days

16 days

1–2

Blue Jay

10–25-ft. tree crotches or outer branches

N

4-5 olive with brown/grey spots

Male and Female; 17–18 days

16 days

1

Common Loon

≤ 2 ft. near water on bare ground, floating bogs or shoreline vegetation